After purchasing iPads, UK government bans them during sensitive meetings

According to a couple of reports, the UK government is banning iPads from closed-door meetings and other sensitive conversations within parliament. This is an interesting decision considering the fact that earlier this year, the UK government purchased numerous iPads for select committees in an effort to move to electronic distribution, as well as designing a custom iPad app for the Prime Minister.

The Daily Mail is reporting that a security team seized iPads that were being used in a presentation during a cabinet meeting. Some government ministers are also required to place their mobile devices into sound-proof boxes during sensitive meetings, according to TheTelegraph.

The government is reportedly worried that China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan have the technology to turn on a device’s microphone, even while the device itself is turned off. The Verge notes that the FBI is allegedly already capable of doing this. As for the NSA? Pssshhh, iPad spying is amateur hour for them.